


Mixed Messages

by youngghosts



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Daisy being a supportive friend™, Daisy is shipper trash ofc, F/M, M/M, Robbie "why are you like this" Reyes, established philinda, eventual fitzsimmons, why are they such dorks oml
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2018-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 17:36:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9835055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngghosts/pseuds/youngghosts
Summary: prompt: quakerider + meet via text“I used your pictures to catfish someone and they bought me a laptop.’followed by,“You have a date tomorrow.”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The Anomalies](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=The+Anomalies).



_________________________________________________________________________________

 

3:45 pm.

_I used your pictures to catfish someone and they bought me a laptop._

_You have a date tomorrow._

Robbie had been staring at the message for the past twelve minutes. This was the last thing he expected after a long day from work.

 

4:00 pm.

_Listen, I know you must be pissed. You have every right to be! But I’m broke as fuck and needed a new laptop to pass Dr. Banner’s class. While I love my baby, there’s no way I can upgrade her in time for all the work I need to do._

4:27 pm.

_JEMMA! TEXT! ME! BACK! I! SWEAR! TO! GOD!_

4:30 pm.

_Jem, I will honestly go to your job. You know I will._

4:48 pm _._

_JEMMA FITZSIMMONS_

4:57 pm.

_MESSAGE! ME! BACK!_

_I lived with you for three years. I know your schedule. Answer me back._

5:15 pm

_Jemma Jane Simmons, I s2g_

5:17 pm

_You can’t just stop talking to me, you know. I was already promised the roll of godmother of yours and Fitz’s firstborn. You can’t go back on that._

5:23 pm.

_It’s honestly not_ that _bad really._

5:30 pm.

_He’s not that bad of a guy. I hacked him first to make sure he’s not a serial killer stalker, don’t worry._

6:02pm.

_Okay, I going into work but I’m going to have my phone on. Text. Me. Back._

Robbie stared at the phone in front of him and texted the number back before he could think it through,

 

8:14 pm.

**_What the fuck?_ **

He got a reply almost instantly.

 

8: 14 pm.

_You’re not Jem, are you?_

_I got the wrong number, didn’t I?_

A couple of seconds passed before the phone binged again.

 

8:15 pm.

_Yep. Wrong number. Um, sorry not-Jemma?_

8:15 pm.

**_You used your friend to catfish someone? Are you kidding me?_ **

****

8:15 pm.

_Don’t judge my life._

Robbie actually shook his head at that one, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

 

8:16 pm.

**_You’ve been blowing up my phone all day. I have the right to judge._ **

He hesitated for a moment before sending, **I hope ‘Jem’ gets better friends.**

****

8:16 pm.

_First of all, don’t be a dick you random stranger. You don’t know my life and you don’t know our friendship._

_Second of all, I’m probably the least shady out of all of our friends._

_Third of all, you think this is bad?? This isn’t even the worst friend-experience._

_……..now that I think about it, we need better friends jfc_

8:18 pm.

**_You_ used your friend to catfish _someone. How is that not the worst thing that has happened?_**

****

8:18 pm.

_Oh honey_

_Buckle up, nerd. It’s story time._

_Oh, and my name’s Daisy, by the way._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Sorry it took so long for the update. I wish I had a good excuse but I basically just didn't have any motivation whatsoever.  
> Which comes to this next part- a special shoutout to Alec, Liv, and Liz for actually giving me motivation to write! 
> 
> And for putting up with me giving them random headcanons at two in the morning.
> 
> And for putting up with random angst at literally any given time.
> 
> Y'all are the best. I love y'all.

“You do know you have a bed, right?” Gabe asked shaking his brother awake. It took a while for Robbie to realize where he was.

“Is there any reason you decided to sleep on the sofa?” Gabe continued, as he raised an eyebrow and took a long, dramatic sip of orange juice.

 

The implication was clear.

“Don’t start with that again.”

 

“Oh, come on! It’s an honest question.” Robbie rolled his eyes at his little brother and stretched out. _Note to self_ , he thought, _never fall asleep on the sofa again._

 

__________

 

It was half way into the work day when Robbie received a reply from Daisy. He sent a message off right before he got in the shower that morning, and wasn’t sure why he was surprised that he didn’t get a reply. She was, after all, a complete stranger.

 

**_How’d she take the news?_ **

 

When Robbie checked his phone during break, he was answered back with,

 

_Fuck._

**_That bad?_ **

****

_I forgot to tell her._

**_How did you forget?_ **

**_How do you forget to tell your friend that you used them to catfish someone?_ **

****

_Hey! What did we say about being judgy??_

**_No, don’t turn this back around on me. It’s 12. You have eight hours until ‘Jem’ is supposed to be at the restaurant._ **

****

_Wait it’s 12 fuck._

_Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck_

_Fuck me_

_Fuck my life_

_I am so dead_

_Hand is going to kill me_

_I am going to die_

**_What?_ **

****

_HAND My teacher_

_Evil personified_

_She hates me_

_And the class just started_

_And I’m not there_

_And I am basically already dead_

_I am going to die_

_,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,oh fuck it, I was going to flunk that class anyways. At least now I have more time™_

**_????_ **

****

_I’m going to talk to Jemma, you dork._

_Prep her._

_Get her on board™ or whatever._

**_Yeah, good luck with that._ **

****

_Thank you for having complete and utter faith in me, Rob._

**_That was sarcasm._ **

****

_I know, but I’m ignoring it because I need all the luck I can get._

_This is going to be hell._

_Wish me luck fam. I’ll keep you posted._

**_Hey Daisy?_ **

****

_Yeah?_

**_Good luck_ **

 

**____________ **

 

“Jemma!” Daisy pounded on the yellow wooden door, haphazardly juggling a tray full of hot drinks and a bag of Jem’s favorite takeout food- Daisy needed all the brownie points she could get right now. “Jemma Jane Simmons! Open the door! I’m carrying super hot drinks and I like life… and living…and being alive!”

 

There was movement from inside the apartment and the sound of something falling- “Nye! Get off the counter! Off!” Daisy rolled her eyes as she pictured the cat giving Jemma the, “ha, no” stare that he had down pat.

 

(“ _Honestly Daisy, I leave him alone with you for three days and he becomes a-“_

_“A dick? Simmons, he’s a cat.”_

_“I know! You managed to rub your bad girl shenanigans off on him!”_

_“He’s a cat.”)_

Jemma opened the door and greeted her with a wide smile, “Daisy! This is a surprise- wait, aren’t you supposed to be in class?”

“That’s a long story,” Daisy sighed as Jem took the drink carrier off of her, “basically I forgot about Hand’s class and decided to skip today to work on my papers instead- and before you say anything, I already texted Donnie and he’s going to let me copy his notes and he never misses anything, so we’re good.” Simmons sighed disapprovingly but didn’t argue, so Daisy counted it as a win.

 

Daisy sat at the island barstool and tried to pet Nye, who clearly did not get off the counter. “Okay, it’s been awhile since we’ve had time to catch up, so I thought I would bring some takeout and you know.” She drifted off, waving the bag slightly in the air. Jemma smiled at her and Daisy felt the guilt hit her like a truck.

Robbie’s words rang in her head, _you used your friend._

Daisy took in a deep breath and contemplated her options. _Band-aid method? Band-aid method._

“Okay, so quick recap; I’m going to fail out of Hand’s class, pops wants to have a dinner next week to introduce me to his co-workers and it’s kind of stressing me out, I needed money to get a laptop so I catfished a guy with your picture and he actually bought me a laptop so you have a date tonight, I think Elena and Mack might be having a thing going on, I’m pretty sure Wanda is going to get engaged, Mom and Dad are having a party in a couple of weeks and wanted to invite you- so I’m doing that right now, I’m making Joey and Linc a trash playlist for their anniversary, and I accidentally texted the wrong number yesterday instead of messaging you and we’re friends now, so that happened.”

 

Daisy looked up at the shell-shocked girl, who was staring at her wordlessly, and quickly tried to change the subject. She glanced at the clock on the wall, “Wow would you look at the time! I’m starving.” She took out the food out of the bag hurriedly, ripping open a packet of plastic silverware in the process, and was halfway into opening the takeout containers when, “ _You did what?”_


	3. The (Not-So-Blind) Blind Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!!! I'm alive!!
> 
> I'm sorry this update is so late. I got sidetracked ny life and next thing you know, it's September.
> 
> Also, I'm just a general mess.
> 
> This chapter is dedicated to Liv, for inspiring me to write again, and Liz, for putting up with my writer's anxiety.  
> I love y'all.

_ Houston, we have so many problems. _

 

Robbie smiled at that. 

Gabe pretended not to notice.

 

**How many problems are we talking about here?**

 

It was a couple of beats before he got a response.

 

_ Uhhhhhh _

_ Right now? Four. _

 

He was about to reply when her next message came through.

 

_ That I can think of _

_ There’s probably more _

_ No, there's definitely more _

 

**How bad are we talking here?**

 

She didn't respond for awhile, and he figured that she was busy trying to keep her scam together….. Or that she got caught and murdered. 

Really, you never know.

 

While he cleaned up the disaster that was the kitchen, he wondered why he was so concerned about the wellbeing of a scam artist. After all, he's only known her for a day.

 

In that moment, Robbie realized that he was now friends with a scam artist. 

 

He was beginning to  _ slightly _ worry about said fact when his phone buzzed.

  
  


_ Problems _   
_ 1) she sucks at lying _

_ you have no idea- when we were kids we decided to take in this cat even though our parents told us not to, and she ended up spilling it on her first week of kitten custody.  _

 

_ 2) we have to use these mic pieces so I can give her conversation history.  _

_ real Jemma is ridiculously good at playing fake Jemma. I guess I wrote fake Jemma well. damn. Go me. _

 

_ 3) i’m hiding behind a plant. Like a legit fucking plant. It’s real and everything. It has huge fucking leaves- it makes spying so ineffective jfc. What kind of restaurant needs these kinds of plants??? _

 

_ 4) the food is wayyyyy too expensive?? why the fuck?? 23 bucks for a caeser salad?? the fuck is it made out of?? it’s literally just lettuce. wait, do they need to charge a fuckton of money for food to afford the gigantic plants?? is that why?? _

_ the truth, revealed.  _

 

_ 5) I can’t stop reacting to their conversations. I just- he’s just- I can’t _

 

**two things**

**-you said it was four things**

**-how the fuck are you hiding behind a plant**

 

_ -I said there was probably more, dork _

_ -I paid a guy to put the plant here, duh _

 

**you paid a guy to move a plant??**

 

_ yes _

 

**why?**

 

_ because I needed to spy on them without being too obvious _

 

**and a girl spying on people from behind a plant isn't obvious at all**

 

_ it actually isn’t _

_ well, I mean _

_ this one white lady was giving me side eye but I think she’s just racist _

 

**wait, you're not white?**

  
  


___________________

 

Jemma huffed in frustration at her friend’s antics. She got roped into going on a date for this dull and slightly creepy man while Daisy is off forty-eight feet away on a date with a rather large plant. 

The plant was hilarious, according to Daisy's audible responses that were distracting her from the task at hand. 

 

She smiled politely at the man across from her, “If you excuse me, I promised my friend that I would call her tonight after her shift, and right now seems right along that time. I’ll be right back.”

 

Daisy’s head shot up as soon as she heard that. That was their safe phrase- well, one of them. 

 

“Of course,” Jasper nodded. 

 

Sitwell was nice, she supposed. He was nice in the way that most businessmen were. Suit and tie. Neutral colors. Knows the right things to say. Although, like most businessmen, mostly everything that comes out of his mouth was bullshit. 

 

Daisy should've told her that he was an aspiring politician. 

On second thought, she probably didn't know.

 

Daisy would never catfish a politician.

  
  


She met up with Daisy in the bathroom. The younger girl was leaning against the wall, shifting between texting and looking up at the entryway for her arrival. 

 

“Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?” Her friend’s face was full of concern, and she considered just dropping the entire subject. 

 

Then her phone dinged. 

 

“No, no, things are fine. Well, as fine as they could be when you're on a date with someone your best friend is catfishing, but you know the deal. Well, actually you don’t. You see, what is wrong is that I can't efficiently listen to him drone on, and on, and on, and on,  _ and on _ ,” her voice got higher on the last bit, “about himself if you're filling my head with laughter.”

 

Daisy’s face scrunched up in guilt, and Jemma was suddenly reminded of the old days. 

She rarely saw that face anymore.

 

“Fuck, yeah, that’s just- yeah, yikes. I'm sorry. I didn't even know I was doing it, honest! This guy is just really funny and I guess it just- yeah. I’ll stop.”

 

“Daisy-”

 

“Y’know, while I was talking to Robbie, we thought of an escape plan.”

 

Jemma blinked at the sudden change in topic. Daisy was obviously changing the subject, but she knew by now that it'll be better than to push. “Escape plan? What escape plan?”

 

Daisy smiled. It was the type of smile that talked her into sneaking out as teenagers and getting matching tattoos the day she turned eighteen. 

She never thought she would be so happy to see that smile. 

 

___________________

 

Exactly seventeen minutes from the second Jemma sat back down, Daisy called her and loudly -yet convincingly- faked appendicitis.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Psst, the facial expression Daisy makes is a nod to a different fic I'm writing.


	4. Unintentially Dying, Toxic Sludge Wastelands, and Other Completely Normal Saturday Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daisy Johnson is a mess. Gabriel Reyes is a mess. Robbie Reyes is caught in between them asking God why he's the middle man. It's a hard life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY I'M NOT DEAD

_Do you think it’s too late to call in sick?_

He didn't have time to respond before his phone dinged again.

_Wait, he’s a doctor_  
_Well fuck_  
_That wouldn't work_

Robbie starred at the phone screen.

“Daisy again?” Gabe’s voice called from the living room. As much as Robbie tried to avoid the subject of Daisy in general, Gabe stole his phone one afternoon when he fell asleep on the sofa. Luckily, Daisy was off hanging out with her sister when he texted her. The last thing Robbie wanted to find out is what Gabe and Daisy were like together. They could either solve world hunger or single handedly cause the earth to break apart. It depended on the day, really.

Still, that's something that he rather find out MUCH later on.

He doesn't want to think about when he started planning on introducing Daisy to Gabe.

He definitely doesn't want to think about when he started planning on meeting Gabe in the first place.

“Yeah, it’s her.” Gabe smirked in response. Robbie tried not to smile at the fact that Gabe put extreme effort into making sure he saw said smirk. “Y’know you're gonna break your neck like that.”  
   “Yeah, yeah. Tell Daisy I said hey.”

**Daze, you’ve been rescheduling this meeting for weeks. Just get it over with. It’ll be fine.  
And I thought you said your dad was a lawyer?**

He hesitated for half a second, **Gabe says hey**

  
_Nah, Dad’s a college professor. Mom’s the lawyer._

_also, how's Gabe doing?_

**I thought your mom was also a doctor?**

The message bubble popped up, indicating that she was typing something. “Daisy says hi.”

_Very observant, Robbo. She is a doctor._  
_Mom is a doctor._  
_Mom is a lawyer._  
_Pops is a doctor._  
_Dad is a college professor._  
_It’s a wild life_

He was going to respond when, _how is gabe-o?_

**That sounds confusing**

_Oh it is_

“Gabe, Daisy wants to know how you are.” Gabe raised his eyebrows and started making his way towards the kitchen. “Toxic Sludge Wasteland is coming off of hiatus, so I’ve never been better.” This caused Robbie to look up from the stove. “What the fuck is Toxic Sludge Wasteland?”

Gabe rolled his eyes, “it’s art, Roberto. I wouldn't expect you to understand.” He opened his mouth to respond when Gabe continued, “anyways, send her that exactly. I want to see what she says.”

Robbie rubbed the bridge of his nose. One of these days they’ll stop using him as their middle man. One of these days.

Or they’ll be the death of him. Either way it’d be over. Silver lining?

**He said, “Toxic Sludge Wasteland is coming off hiatus, so i’ve never been better.”**

He barely had time to ask Gabe what he wanted for dinner when,

_wAIT FUCK_  
TOXIC SLUDGE WASTELAND IS COMING BACK  
WHAT  
WHEN  
WHAT  
WHEN  
WHAT  
HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIW  
WGAT  
WHEN  
WHAT  
HOW  
WHEN  
EHAT  
THEY WHEN  
THEY WHAT  
HOW  
WHAT

The phone kept buzzing on the countertop with each incoming message. Robbie looked at Gabe’s smirking face, “I knew it.”

_Okay, okay. I’m chill. I’m calm. I’m cool. This is fine._

**Okay, am I the only one who doesn't know what the fuck that is?**

_Yes._

**Care to enlighten me?**

_Care to tell me when it’s coming back?_

**I don't even know what it is**

_But Gabe does_

Robbie sat at the table where Gabe was. “What the fuck is Toxic Sludge Wasteland?”

“Like I said, it’s art.” Robbie stared at him.  
“Okay, it’s a band.”  
“Named Toxic Sludge Wasteland? Really?”  
“Yes. Now, what did she say?”  
Robbie sighed. He wanted to know what he did in a past life to make him deserve these two messes. These two messes who apparently are fans of a band called Toxic Sludge Wasteland of all things.

“She wants to know when it’s coming back. And how she didn't know of this.”  
“Just tell her soon.”  
“‘Cause that’s not ominous.”

**He says "soon"**

_WHEN SOON_

**Nope, not happening chica. Question for question.  
What's Toxic Sludge Wasteland?**

The message bubble appeared and he had a feeling that she was going to be typing for awhile. He looked up at his brother. “What just happened?”

Gabe smirked. “Your girl is an underground grunge rock music fan, Robbo. And if you don't marry her, I sure as hell will.” He started making his way out of the kitchen when, “And we should have omelettes for dinner.”

Robbie looked between his retreated brother and the message bubble on his phone.

He had just gotten up when he heard Gabe yell from the hallway, “A GIRL AFTER TOXIC SLUDGE WASTELAND IS A GIRL AFTER MY HEART! UGH!”

Gabe heard his brother’s laughter all the way to his bedroom.

__________

“Daisy! We’re here!”

Elena’s voice broke her out of the trance that was the dramatic backstory of TSW. “What’s Toxic Sludge Wasteland.” The audacity.

“fUCK.” Daisy rushed off of her chair, getting her leg caught in the side of it in the process. With an uMph, she fell to the ground, her phone falling off the sofa in turn.  
Rip.

She picked herself up and sprinted across the apartment. Daisy swung the door open and leaned against the frame. “Hey guys!!” Elena, Joey, and Lincoln stood before her. Lincoln raised an eyebrow at her. “

“You forgot we were coming, didn't you?” She scoffed at the accusation. “Pfft, me? Forget? Are you kidding? I would nev- okay, yeah. I forgot.” Lincoln laughed.

“Yeah, yeah. I figured. Just let us in, you dork.”

Daisy waved them into her apartment. “Oh, by the way,” Joey raised the bottle in his hands, “we brought the good stuff.”

__________

Three hours. It’s been three hours since Daisy texted him back. Not that he was keeping track or anything. That would be weird. He was just worried about her since she was meeting her dad’s friends/girlfriend for the first time. That was stress inducing, man.

He snapped a picture of the tv screen.  
**This is your future.**

__________

Daisy’s phone buzzed. “Fuck, Robbie.”

She dived to get the phone out from underneath the chair. Attachment: One image.

She opened up the message and laughed out loud. Catfish: The Tv Show. **“This is your future.”**

She copied the paragraph she was typing and erased the message, _You dick._

**I’m not wrong**

_Excuse you, my catfishing days are over. Never again will I flirt with men for money.  
Okay well, at least not while catfishing them._

Lincoln raised an eyebrow at her, “Who are you talking to?” She held his gaze for a bit. “No one.”

_Sorry I died btw_  
My friends came over for moral support + to help me pick something to wear  
Well, yoyo did. Joey and Linc just came to eat all my brother’s chexmix mix.

**Chex mix?**

_Yeah, Marcos makes the fucking BEST chex mix mix ever._  
_It’s the crack mix™  
Not to be confused with crack mixes, which is an entirely different thing._

“Daisy, what about that one dress you wore to Clarice’s birthday party a couple of years back?” Elena called from the bedroom. She sighed and turned off her phone and put it on the coffee table. She could practically feel Lincoln’s smirk behind her. “Ugh, a model’s work is never done.”

With a dramatic flip of her hair she climbed ungracefully over the armrest and walked off into the bedroom.

Time to woman up and get all of this over with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Daisy's family is a mess, huh?
> 
> ALSO, Gabe has a stan-sense. That's his sixth sense.


End file.
